The Bible has changed history, shaped civilizations, given hope to hundreds of millions of people. Its descriptions of truth give us a reliable map for the paths of our lives, leading us to blessings and warning us away from destruction. Its message of grace and love heals us and guides us into authentic relationships with God. All believers are students of the Bible. We can and must develop our skills in digging into the true meaning of Scripture. Then we will get the treasure.
In this book you will learn how to…
-choose what Bible(s) you use
-observe the facts
-understand the flow of meaning of a biblical book
-develop your biblical vocabulary
-study a topic in the Bible
-study a Bible passage
-use the basic skills of Bible interpretation
-apply the truths of Scripture to your life
-recognize false teaching
-and much more…
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE is ideal for Bible Study leaders, teachers, and anyone serious about digging deeper into Scripture in order to know God better.
Group Discussion Guide – download then check your downloads folder
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mel Lawrenz trains an international network of Christian leaders, ministry pioneers, and thought-leaders. He has a Ph.D. in the history of Christian thought (Marquette University) and has been on the adjunct faculty of the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Trinity International University. He served as senior pastor of Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin for ten years and now serves as Elmbrook’s minister at large, teaching in North America, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He has authored 19 books with Zondervan, Baker, Jossey-Bass, Leadership Network, Regal, WordWay, and others.
Chapter 1 – It’s All About Zeal
Presumably you are holding this book in your hands right now because you are interested in understanding, studying, and applying the Bible. If so, you have made a very important decision. The Bible is not an ordinary book. Its words are the life of God and the light of God. It is the answer to decay and darkness. It is goodness coming up strong against evil. When the prophets and apostles spoke and wrote words that they knew were inspired by God’s Spirit, they were depositing into human history a knowledge of God and of all reality that would shape whole civilizations and shape us.
I read the Bible occasionally when I was growing up, but it wasn’t until I was 17 years old and a friend put an easy-to-understand version of the New Testament in my hand that I experienced the ring of truth and the deliciousness of God’s word. I devoured that New Testament in one summer, a summer that changed the whole trajectory of my life because from then on I knew where I could hear the voice of God enlightening me, confronting me, beckoning me, filling me, correcting me, inspiring me.
I was motivated to read the Bible—slowly, methodically, prayerfully—but I also learned about studying the Bible.
The word study (from Latin studium) refers to devotion, concentration, and zeal. So when you pick up the Bible and read, longing to understand it and being willing to submit to it, you are studying the Bible. This holy process begins before you turn to any Bible study tool. Studying the Bible begins in the soul. It begins when you open the Bible and say to God: I want to know you more, and I am willing to read intently, with devotion, concentration, and curiosity. If it is true that the Bible is the word of God, then studying the Bible is studying God himself. When we are in a conversation with a friend or spouse we are not just listening to understand the words, we are seeking to understand the person behind the words. Bible study, in other words, is all about knowing God.
Now, there are many things we can do to study the Bible that go beyond simply reading it. In this book, we will look into biblical book studies, character studies, thematic studies, and other methods. But it all depends on this: what is in our hearts? Do we want to hear a word from God? Do we have a sense of responsibility to do the work of discerning the true meaning of biblical texts? Will we concentrate on the Scriptures as a lifestyle, knowing that, with the passage of years, we will become better, wiser people?
This book is divided into three parts. Part I delves into being a student of Scripture. This part is concerned with our basic posture as we read and reflect and study. On the one hand, we need to read the Bible like we would read any book, looking for the author’s intent, taking the language of Scripture at face value. On the other hand, we take a posture of faith and submission because we can only get the full meaning of Scripture when we trust what it says, and because the the books of the Bible invite us, in different ways, to have faith in God and deepen our faith in God. We need to foster our curiosity and develop our powers of observation. Curiosity energizes us to do the work of digging deep, and careful observation allows us to understand the fullness of the biblical text by noticing all the small, revealing details.
In Part II, we look at ways of studying the Bible. This is methodology. How do we approach a biblical book, understanding the flow of meaning in it? How do we study a particular passage? How do we unpack the meaning of words, and how do we develop our biblical vocabulary so that, in the natural reading of Scripture, we can draw on our accumulated Bible knowledge? How can we chase down a specific topic in Scripture, or study a particular character? How should we use basic tools like Bible dictionaries and commentaries?
Finally, in Part III, we look at interpreting and applying the Bible. The whole point of studying the Bible is to discover the real, objective meaning of the text. That is where the life is. That is where the power and the truth are to be found. When people make the Bible say what they want it to say, it is not only dishonest and powerless, but it is disrespectful to God. None of us like to have words put in our mouths—we might wonder what God thinks about having words put in his mouth. In Part III we also look at the dynamic of illumination and the process of right application. We consider how the truth of God’s word can be planted deeply in us and how we can digest and assimilate Scripture. We also look at how to recognize false teaching.
When it comes to studying the Bible, we are in this together. We may read the Bible privately, in the quiet early morning hours or in a solitary place, but all Scripture was written for the community of faith. Each believer is a student of Scripture, but it is as we study the Bible together that we gain the full insights and blessings it offers.
PLUS… a free online supplemental guide to Bible study tools
A Guide for Studying the Bible
